To Good Times
by Kaesteranya
Summary: Viktor celebrates the death anniversaries of the two women he held dear in life.


    A few notes about this fic: characters are acting along my perspective from how I wrote them out in this little fragmented mini-series. This is my theory of who Daisy is, and it has nothing to do with the story version (if there IS a story version).  
    Another note: this is an AU where Clive and Elza meet up and DON'T kill each other. In fact, they end up forgiving each other. May write a fanfic regarding this arrangement, if I'm not feeling like a lazy .  
    Going, going, going… gone. *calmly watches her sanity fly out the window*  
  
  
  


**to good times**

  
  
  
    "Ahhhhh!" 

    Viktor took a deep breath of the fresh spring air, grinning at the distant mountains as he seated himself cross-legged on the ground. He was alone in one of the more secluded outdoor corners of Vorpalik Castle's sprawling grounds, and he was glad for it. 

    He popped open his wine bottle and took a swig in one movement, examining his surroundings with a casual gaze. The little corner he found himself in had a most spectacular view of the lake and the mountain range beyond it, and the breeze was quite pleasant. Hell, the weather in general was pleasant that day. A large tree grew in the corner of the small field, spreading its scintillating green canopy into the sky and over appreciating heads; it was the tree Viktor found himself seated under because there was a naturally flat stone perched at the base of the tree for the sole purpose of meditation (or solitary drinking). 

    Leaves rustled and newly washed bedsheets fluttered faintly in the breeze; Viktor had apparently stumbled across Yoshino's laundry spot. The woman had never told the group exactly where she did her laundry; she probably had not because no one had ever bothered asking. The fact that a basin full of soapy water and dirty clothes lay on the ground told Viktor that she'd be coming back soon to finish her job. A target marker with three arrows nailing the bullseye was a telltale sign of Kinnison, Stallion and Ayda-obviously, the three archers had chosen this area to practice their skill. A few bullet holes through the center of the mark (and others ringing the sides) made it obvious that Clive and Elza came there on occasion also. 

    _All these hidden little corners,_ Viktor mused as he leaned his head back against the tree and took another swig. _I guess I should go around the castle often like Jinkou, just to see where the rest of our ragtag team of rebels hangs out everyday._

    It was so peaceful... really, it amazed Viktor. The Highland had stopped attacking for quite some time ever since Luca Blight had died at Syujinkou's hands, allowing the Kismet Army a breathing period (for once). Viktor had spent most of his week in the bar, chatting with Leona or mulling over a drink with Flik and Humphrey. For some reason, he had felt exceptionally restless that day, and he had been searching for a reason to be alone... 

    The kids had been all over him earlier that day, wanting a piggyback ride from "the big bear man". Personally, Viktor had always enjoyed the company of kids... with a smiling Gremio he had sat down and played with them for a while in the courtyard. 

    Other than that, he had spent the day wandering about the castle, chatting with whoever wanted to chat and drinking away from the two bottles he always carried with him. God knows _where_ Jinkou could be at that moment... he was probably off with his sister and McDohl, wandering about and honing their skills amidst good company. 

    On the surface, everything seemed normal. It was just another strangely peaceful day in a strangely peaceful week. The weather was great, and the company was always worthwhile. 

    Why then, did Viktor suddenly have the need to be alone for a moment? 

    _Oh yeah..._ Viktor closed his eyes, taking a particularly long swig. _Today would have been Daisy's birthday._

    To think that he was standing here in Vorpalik... this fortress had once been his hometown, his world. Sometimes, to Viktor's eyes alone, ghosts of the past walked the hallways, whispered in darkened corners, re-lived their lost lives in empty rooms. 

    It wasn't just the fact that he was _there_... it was the fact that he had already gone through so much. After destroying the Scarlet Moon, Viktor had thought for a long long time that it was all over, that he was just the leader of a mercenary army watching his sword rust away as peace reigned supreme. He had never expected meeting someone like Syujjinkou. He had never expected the war to return. 

    He had never expected so many people to lose what they held dear, to lose loved ones, to lose their lives. He had never expected the past to come back and haunt everyone. He had never expected to meet old friends, face new enemies. 

    Actually, he hadn't expected any of this. Who in his right mind would have? 

    _A pessimist, that's for sure._ Viktor smiled to himself, though it came weakly. He raised his half-empty wine bottle up in a toast to some unknown figure. _Happy Birthday, Daisy._

    A face in the mists of the past. That was all she should have been. That was all she was, until Neclord had returned. Even then, now that the vampire was dead and the illusion broken, Viktor still remembered everything about her: her smile, her voice, her eyes. 

    She had been a sweet village girl of North Window, growing up just like everyone else, following her parent's wishes without fail. The difference she had from the rest of them was something only Viktor could see; everyone else just saw her as good old Daisy. Viktor saw her as his future. 

    Daisy had spirit, that was for sure. She was timid and meek around the elders, but definately spirited among the youth, the children. Everyone in the village loved her, yet she was nothing spectacular, nothing special. She was just Daisy. 

    Their romance had been the talk of the village for a while; it was something rather unconservative in an incredibly conservative country setting. People had, however, approved of it. Thus, they had been happy... for a while. 

    Viktor had not been there when Daisy had died. He hadn't been there to witness the horror in her eyes as people she had once loved grabbed at her like the monsters they had become, dragging her under into the darkness. He hadn't been there to hear her scream out his name for help, even in her last moments, all the while hoping that he'd come to save her even as hope seemed to disappear. 

    Some would say that he was lucky to be the only one left. Of course, these were people who had never felt the weight of their dead loved ones on their hands. No one was around to mourn Daisy and the rest of North Window but Viktor. 

    The world didn't mourn the loss of Daisy. Her candle had been snuffed out, but no one cared; to their perspective, she was just one of many. No one was there to mourn her but Viktor. 

    Maybe it was coincidence, but Jowy had assasinated Anabelle that very day also. The world had a funny way of making you cry. 

    _Two bottles for two death anniversaries,_ Viktor realized, wryly holding up both of the bottles and swishing them around for a moment. _And I'm the only one drinking to both of them. I think I have two women laughing at me from up in heaven at the moment._

    "Oh! Hello, Viktor... what a pleasant surprise." Yoshino smiled as she walked into the courtyard with a bundle of clothes in her arms. 

    Viktor grinned, waving a bottle as a greeting. "Hiya, Yoshino. Just came here for a good drink. Want some?" 

    "I see." Yoshino chuckled as she knelt beside the basin, laying her bundle down beside her. "I'm afraid I'll have to decline your kind offer though... Freed doesn't like me drinking. He isn't so fond of alcohol." 

    "You two don't know what you're missin'." Viktor took a hearty swig, as if to emphasize his point. With company, he couldn't return to his previous chain of thought; a blessing in disguise, the mercenary supposed. It wasn't like him to be thinking in such dark perspectives anyways. 

    The quiet sound of washing mingled with the whispering breeze, the rustling leaves and the fluttering clothes. It was such a comfortable setting; for that little piece of forever, Viktor felt like it was home. Even in his old mercenary fortress at Jowston, he had not felt totally at peace. 

    Now, strangely, he did. Death anniversary, or no death anniversary. For that time, all was right with the world. That alone mattered. 

    "Didn't expect to find you here." 

    "Hmm?" Viktor looked up curiously to watch as Clive came to sit down and join him. The gunner wasn't wearing his cloak for once... the dark tunic he was wearing at the moment fit his tall, lithely muscled frame. "What are you doing here?" 

    "I was hoping to get some practice in." Clive gestured vaguely to Storm holstered to his side as he fell to watching his surroundings with a most apathetic gaze. He accepted one of Viktor's bottles with a muttered thanks and took a swig, never taking his restless eyes off his surroundings as if he was expecting all the world's evils to pounce upon them at any moment. 

    To say the least, something had changed in Clive ever since the group had found Elza. The first few weeks had been rough on the man, from what Viktor could see. But now that the worst had come to pass, something was definately different in the man... 

    He was cold. Heck, he would always be cold. But Viktor could tell a man at peace from a man in turmoil. Clive's turmoil would always rock his heart, but now somehow it had been subdued, calmed. 

    To what effects, Viktor could not tell. The large mercenary figured that it had something to do with Elza, from what Apple had been chattering about in the tavern the other day. 

    "Your aim's getting better," Viktor said conversationally, leaning back as he took another long swig. He went on, not really noticing Clive's mildly questioning gaze upon him. "That gun of yours packs a punch against our enemies... Jinkou loves having a sharpshooter around, and Shu prizes your skills on the battlefield. 'Course, that wasn't the only thing that changed." he shrugged. "Maybe it's just me." 

    Clive's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?" 

    "You and Elza have started again, haven't you?" said Viktor, getting to the point. 

    "...I suppose you could put it that way." 

    "Just admit it. It'll make things a whole lot easier." 

    "Why should I when some of us keep our own little secrets as much as I do? I think you should know that well enough." Viktor suddenly found Clive's gaze very disturbing. "Storm can feel your turmoil," the gunman said, in a low voice to keep Yoshino from hearing. "It's been magnified by something today." 

    "So you noticed," Viktor said thoughtfully, after a long pause. 

    Clive nodded, turning away and taking a swig of his bottle. Soon, he occupied himself with loading up Storm's empty canister. 

    Viktor gave the gunman a curious, surprised look. Any normal person would have asked for more details; to be honest, Viktor was _expecting_ Clive to. So why didn't he? 

    "You loved her dearly, didn't you?" Clive asked suddenly, catching Viktor off guard. He was still totally occupied with his gun. "You wouldn't be alone if you didn't. What is today for you? Her birthday? Her death? Which one?" 

    "Do you even know who she is for me?" Viktor asked, making an attempt at joking around. 

    Clive pierced him with a brief, cool look. "No, I don't." he turned back to his gun. "I can tell that there's a woman in your life by how you're acting." 

    "Correction. There are _two_ women. One of them would be celebrating her birthday if she was alive. The other died today." 

    "Daisy and Anabelle, right?" asked Clive in that typically soft tone of his as the quiet click of a loaded gun caught Viktor's keen ears. The gunman aimed it at the target for a moment before lowering it once again. 

    "How did you know that?" 

    "You were rambling about it at the tavern yesterday. One too many bottles of beer, I'm supposing." 

    "Heh. You're an sharp one." Viktor grinned at his somber companion, easing his back up against the solid tree trunk. "You're talking a whole lot more then you used to also." 

    "Does that matter?" 

    "Not really." 

    "Hmph." Clive slipped Storm back into its holster and leaned back himself. 

    Silence. 

    "Do you come out here to think often, Clive?" 

    "Sometimes. Of course, I never have anything to mull over or make a toast to. As soon as this war is over," he said quietly, "I'll probably end up becoming a wanderer. The Guild hardly ever has anything for its members to do: most of time, we're left to our own devices." 

    "What about putting old ghosts to rest?" 

    "I've already done that. The only thing that's left for me to do is to see this battle through to whatever outcome is best." 

    "Still without a care in the world..." 

    "That's how I've always been." 

    All conversation ceased when all possible topics stopped coming. Yoshino was hanging up the clothes to dry already, and taking down the ones that she had washed the other day. The sun hung a little lower in the sky, and Viktor thought he heard laughter drifting up from the general direction of Hai Yo's restaurant: another cooking contest won, he supposed. 

    Suddenly, now that he had company, he felt like making another toast... 

    He raised his wine bottle in Clive's direction, causing the gunner to blink and raise his eyebrows at him. "A toast," he announced. "To good times." 

    "Aye." a wan smile touched Clive's lips as he raised his bottle with a nod. "To good times, whatever they may be, whenever they may come." 

    "Whenever they may come," Viktor agreed softly as they toasted and took a swig of their drinks.   
  
  


**e n d .**


End file.
